The Washington critic., 1887-04-21
"TREATED LIKE A DoG."
A Letter From Ward II. Lnmon TO u
West virginia Client.

Il
West Virginia Client.
The following letter was recently ad
dressed by Ward II. Lamon to gen.
tleman In West Virginia. who has
claim against the Government of long
standing, which neither he nor his
counsel has been able to collect
WAsnIsGToN, ID. c., April /, 1887.
DEAR SIN: Your letter OF tho ultlmo
is received. You complain Of your treat
ment by the Government as well as by your
counsel, because OF the non payment Of your
claim for services rendered TO the Internal
Revenue Department, which claim | pre-
sented for payment many years ago, and,
Ike many otlers, II will doubtless continue
to be Just claim long after we arc called to
our fathers.
My best cndeavors have been exercised Ia
your service In this behalf, and have been
particularly struck with this paragraph in
your letter, viz:
I1are 20 Tong 5o,g Gtated tke @ do2 by ne
G0reIHmtm dHd al connected iCiW MtS c'diW
Hdt Ihare tOHcigdtd IgiUd BE- one.
i beg leave 10 assure you that | am truly
panied at your recital as well as at your
conclusion. In overhaulng the log of my
business papers my attention has Just been
called to an order yet In my possession is
sued by the Hon. Commissioner of Internal
Revenue during the year 1876, about which
was professionally consulted by Colonel
Nadenbousch, then superintendent Of the
Hannisville Dlstillery, at Martlnsburg, w.
Va, which order is In words and figures fol.
lowing, to wit:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE or the CoM'R. or lSr. REV.,
WASHINGTON, April %, 1916,
SIR II is reported to this office that The
Hnnnis Distillery Company at. Martinsburg
keep upon the premises a dog. As this Is con-
sdorcd an obstruction to officers YOU are a..
rected to require the animal to be removed ut
once. Respectfully.
ID. ID. PRATT, Comm ssiOner.
George W. Brown, esq,
Collector second District. Grafton. W. Va.
True, was always at II loss to know
whether the Commissioner had any "refcr-
ence to allusionsn In the order, but until
your letter was received | do assure you
never once suspicioned you to be the sob
s'ruction" alluded to. deter, however, to
your better judgement and am disposed to
give you the benefit Of the doubt.
Notwithstanding my experience for so
many years with the watch dogs OF the
Treasury and all other dogs, including dis
tillefy dogs, plantation dogs, hounds OF the
chase, and dogs In the manger, yet can't
boast OF being very thorough dog.lawyer,
but my opinion is that you have a grievance
tkat should be retressed, and there are
erDment, viz:
The instant payment of your claim,
public apology to the whole race Of dogs
and your prompt reinstatement To. your
former position as one, and full rehabllita-
tion to all the rights vouchsafed to the most
favored habitue Of any distillery In West
Virginia. Otherwise commence a suit for
libelous defamation OF character before the
nearest justice OF the peace In the vicinage
When we come to consider this question
It will be found not remarkable that Com
missioner Pratt should share the prejudice
OF your own people against your abused
and oppressed species. Vide, statement
known as the "Dog law" enacted March
4, 1865, by the Legislature of West Vir-
ginia, entitled "Chapter l0l, I" the first sec
tion Of which reads:
sons to hunt, chase, eaten or Kill or in
any other way destroy deer by dogs, except
that deer may be first shot and wounded,
and then may be caught by dog.
You will observe that the only show you
have for feasting on venison under this sec
tion Is to get some worthless vagabond to
shoot and wound defenceless deer, then
you are authorized to go in for square
meal and appcase your long-abused but
voracious appetite for forbidden luxurlcs
BY the judicious use Of a vagabond shotgun
and vlgilant canine chase, your resource
for livelihood has not been entirely cut
off by your Punishment from the rum fac.
tory, however much that resort was your
sole dependence for spiritual consolation;
for by Industrial habits, with an unerrlng
shotgun, and keeping your throat as well
as your powder dry, you can still live In
West Virginia. The third section of this
law reads as follows:
Any dog or dogs found or known to run or
catch deer and the owner of such dog or dogs
IN ma. 1i g.t flah naf Il l.Nas8 %.
he found transGtcssing this act a second time
or more, upon the affidavit OF any person who
| is lawful witness 10 testify in other cases,
shall Issue d warrant, directed to any consta-
BILE, to arrest and bring such dog or dogs be-
fore him, and on proof of guilt may condemn
such dog or dogs to be killed; and the consta-
BILE, upon copy Of such Judgment signed by
the Justice, shall forthwith kill the same dog
or dogs, and shall be entitled TO fifty cents
for each dog he may so XIII, which shal! be
recovered oil the owner OF such dogs.
The clause in the first s.ection, "exccpt a
deer may be first shot," taken together with
the purport and intent of the third section
Of this law, doubtless has been a saving
clause to you during many scarce meat
seasons; otherwise the constable wound
doubtless ere this have earned and received
his fee Of fifty cents for performing his
duty by killing the dog as in "such case
made and provided by the statute.n
that because Of your residence in West Vir
| ginia, instead of sold Virginia. where
| law existed making "the altering of the
ear-marks of an unmarked hog" felonious
offence; for In the rural districts In the
"Old Dominion" pork Is more desirable
than venison to the average Virginia gen.
| tleman. The average cur OF West Virginia
to-day occupies more elevated plane,
under the law, In the scale of civilization
than did our colored man and brother in
"Ante-Bellum' days, In the free State OF
Illinois, for In that State there existed q law
which provided:
'That in all cases where white men are pun.
ishable by fine, negroes shall be punished by
| whipping, at the rate of thirty nine lashes for
every twenty dollars OF fine assessed, unless
| said negro can procure bail'-tho reasonable
| construction of which law Is, that In case bail
| should be furnished the poor devil might be
| legally whipped to death.
These citations are made to convince you
of the moderation and considerate laws OF
the State Of West Virginia, under which you
| live; and In the hope that It may serve the
| purpose OF preventing vain ropinings over
| q hard lot made by your own indlscre,ion.
acknowledge with humility that the
more intimately ! become acquainted with
| the methods resorted to by my felOw-man
| to oprevent the payment OF Just Indebtedness
| from the Government, the greater respect
| have for dogs generally, and your case Is
| not made an individual exception to my
| regards and consideration.
Yours truly, WARD II. LAMos.
n New Social Cinb.